Mattias Weinhandl
Encyclopedia
Mattias Weinhandl is a Swedish professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...

 right winger
Winger (ice hockey)
Winger, in the game of hockey, is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play on the ice is along the outer playing area. They typically work by flanking the centre forward. Originally the name was given to forward players who went up and down the sides of the rink...

 currently playing for SKA St Petersburg of the Kontinental Hockey League
Kontinental Hockey League
The Kontinental Hockey League is an international professional ice hockey league in Eurasia founded in 2008. As of 2009, it is ranked as the strongest hockey league in Europe....

 (KHL).

Weinhandl was drafted 78th overall by the New York Islanders
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...

 in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft
1999 NHL Entry Draft
The 1999 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 26 at the FleetCenter in Boston, Massachusetts. According to Sports Illustrated and other sports news agencies, at the time the 1999 draft was considered one of the deepest in talent in years, headed by Patrik Stefan and the Sedin twins. However, the...

. He has played 182 career NHL games for the Islanders and the Minnesota Wild
Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....

, scoring 19 goals and 37 assists for 56 points. He overcame a serious eye injury in 1999 to make the Islanders squad two seasons later.

Playing career

On November 13, 1999, the 19-year-old Weinhandl was playing for Team Sweden in a game against the Czech Republic in the U-20 Four Nations Tournament. Approximately 51 minutes into the game, Weinhandl was struck in the left eye by Czech player Michal Trávníček's stick. The incident came mere seconds after Weinhandl hooked Trávníček in the hip area to prevent him from getting past him. Trávníček fell down and upon rising, assaulted Weinhandl with his stick, aiming it in a way that it would reach under Weinhandl's half visor and strike the Swede in the face. Weinhandl's forehead was fractured and his vision in the eye was reduced to 10%. The International Ice Hockey Federation
International Ice Hockey Federation
The International Ice Hockey Federation is the worldwide governing body for ice hockey and in-line hockey. It is based in Zurich, Switzerland, and has 70 members...

 (IIHF) judged the incident to be an attack and banned Trávníček from participating in international play for three years.

New York Islanders

Weinhandl broke into the NHL during the 2002–03 season. He tallied his first NHL point (an assist) in his first NHL game on November 4, 2002 against the Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...

. He picked up his first NHL goal 23 days later, on November 27, against the Ottawa Senators
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...

' goalie Patrick Lalime
Patrick Lalime
Patrick Lalime is a Canadian professional ice hockey broadcaster and former player. Lalime played twelve seasons in the National Hockey League with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Ottawa Senators, St. Louis Blues, Chicago Blackhawks and Buffalo Sabres...

. He played in that season's YoungStars game, which took place in Sunrise, Florida
Sunrise, Florida
-Overview:Sunrise is a city in southwestern Broward County, Florida, United States. It was incorporated in 1961 by Norman Johnson – a developer whose World Famous Upside-Down House attracted buyers to what was then a remote area...

 during the All-Star
53rd National Hockey League All-Star Game
The 53rd National Hockey League All-Star Game was held during the 2002–03 NHL season, and took place at the Office Depot Center in Sunrise, Florida, the home of the Florida Panthers, on February 2, 2003...

 break and picked up a goal and an assist. He missed a number of games during the early part of the season due to a sprained shoulder, but finished the year with 23 points (six goals and 17 assists) in 47 games.

The following season, Weinhandl was forced to start the season for the Islanders' minor league team, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers
Bridgeport Sound Tigers
The Bridgeport Sound Tigers are an ice hockey team playing in the American Hockey League. It has been the AHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's New York Islanders, who also own the franchise, since its inception, and use the same team colors as the parent Islanders do. The team is based in...

, to rehab an ankle injury that kept him out of the 2003 playoffs and required surgery over the summer. Upon being deemed fit to play for the Islanders, Weinhandl played for the most part on a line with Alexei Yashin
Alexei Yashin
Alexei Valeryevich Yashin is a Russian professional ice hockey player. He is currently a member of CSKA Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League...

, and notched 20 points (eight goals and 12 assists) in 55 games.

Minnesota Wild

Upon returning from his 2004–05 campaign in Sweden, Weinhandl was quickly signed to a two-year, $1.6 million contract to keep him with the Islanders. Weinhandl played mostly on the team's fourth line. He recorded six points (two goals and four assists) in 53 games for the Islanders before he was waived and claimed by the Minnesota Wild on March 4, 2006. In 15 games for Minnesota, Weinhandl picked up two goals and three assists.

In the 2006–07 season, Weinhandl was a healthy scratch in 13 of the team's first 28 games (missing an additional three games after suffering a concussion) before being waived by the Wild on December 8, 2006. He went unclaimed and was assigned to the Wild's minor league affiliate, the Houston Aeros
Houston Aeros
The Houston Aeros are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. The team plays in Houston, Texas, at the Toyota Center. They are the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Minnesota Wild.- History :...

, on December 9. Before being sent down, he tallied one goal and one assist in 12 games.

Houston Aeros

Weinhandl found some success in the minor league. He played in 48 games with the Houston Aeros
Houston Aeros
The Houston Aeros are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. The team plays in Houston, Texas, at the Toyota Center. They are the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Minnesota Wild.- History :...

, scoring 18 goals and 27 assists with a total of 20 penalty minutes. During that span, he had several multi-point games, including four assists in one of the final games of the season.

Modo

From the 1999–00 season to the 2001–02 season, Weinhandl played for Modo
MODO Hockey
Modo Hockey is a professional ice hockey club in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden. The club plays in Sweden's premier ice hockey league, the Elitserien. They were founded in 1921 and have won two Elitserien championships; in 1979 and 2007. The team's home arena is the Fjällräven Center since 2006...

 in the Swedish elite league Elitserien
Elitserien
Elitserien, is a professional ice hockey league composed of twelve teams in Sweden...

. His first season there, he was on a very successful line with Henrik
Henrik Sedin
Henrik Sedin is a Swedish professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League . His identical twin brother Daniel also plays for the Canucks. Having played together throughout their careers, the pair are known for their effectiveness playing off one...

 and Daniel Sedin
Daniel Sedin
Daniel Sedin is a Swedish professional ice hockey winger with the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League , and serves as an alternate captain for the Canucks during home games. His identical twin brother Henrik also plays for the Canucks, and is the team captain...

, now of the NHL's Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...

. The line was dubbed "Line 19", as Weinhandl and both Sedins were 19-years-of-age at the time. He returned to play for Modo again in the 2004–05 season due to the NHL lockout. Weinhandl led the team in scoring with 46 points (26 goals and 20 assists) in 50 games and was third in the league in points, behind only Henrik Zetterberg
Henrik Zetterberg
Henrik “Zäta" Zetterberg is a Swedish professional ice hockey center and alternate captain currently playing for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League...

 of Timrå
Timrå IK
Timrå IK is a Swedish ice hockey team from Timrå, who currently plays in the top division, Elitserien. Seasons in the top division include 1956–57 to 1975–76, 1977–78, 1981–82, and 2000–01 until present.-History:...

 and Kristian Huselius
Kristian Huselius
Kristian Huselius is a Swedish professional ice hockey player who currently plays for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League.-Early career:...

 of Linköping
Linköpings HC
Linköpings Hockey Club, often known by its acronym LHC or, colloquially among its fans, Cluben, is an ice hockey team from Linköping, Sweden....

, and tied with Shawn Horcoff
Shawn Horcoff
Shawn Horcoff is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League . He was selected in the fourth round of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft, 99th overall, by the Oilers, the team with which he has spent his entire NHL career...

 of Mora
Mora IK
Mora Ishockeyklubb is a Swedish professional ice hockey club from Mora, Sweden. They are currently playing in the second highest league in Sweden, HockeyAllsvenskan...

.

Linköping

Weinhandl signed with Linköping
Linköpings HC
Linköpings Hockey Club, often known by its acronym LHC or, colloquially among its fans, Cluben, is an ice hockey team from Linköping, Sweden....

 on April 22, 2007. He signed a two-year deal worth 7.2 million Swedish kronor, with an option for a third year. During the 2007–08 season, Weinhandl enjoyed a good return to Sweden, scoring 35 goals to win the Håkan Loob Trophy
Håkan Loob Trophy
The Håkan Loob Trophy is the annual award for the Elitserien player who scores the most goals during the regular season. It was created by Svenska Hockeyligan and Canal+ in honour of Håkan Loob, who holds the Elitserien record for most goals in a season...

. He also netted 27 assists for a total of 62 points, second in the league only to his line mate Tony Mårtensson
Tony Mårtensson
Tony Mårtensson is a professional Swedish ice hockey center, currently with SKA in KHL. He was born in Upplands Väsby, Sweden.- Playing career :...

.

Weinhandl drew the attention of the Russian Superleague
Russian Superleague
The Russian Superleague , commonly abbreviated as RSL, was the highest division of the main professional ice hockey league in Russia. It was considered the second best league in the world, after the National Hockey League of North America...

 (RSL) and on April 23, 2008, it was announced that he would be loaned out to Dynamo Moscow
HC Dynamo Moscow
HC Dynamo Moscow was a Russian professional ice hockey club based in Moscow. They were members of the Bobrov Division in the Kontinental Hockey League...

 in the Russian Kontinental Hockey League
Kontinental Hockey League
The Kontinental Hockey League is an international professional ice hockey league in Eurasia founded in 2008. As of 2009, it is ranked as the strongest hockey league in Europe....

 (KHL) for the 2008–09 season. That same day, he also signed a contract extension with Linköping, ensuring his return and keeping him in Linköping's possession through 2012.

After Linköping's early exit in the 2009 Elitserien playoffs
2008–09 Elitserien season
The 2008–09 Elitserien season was the 34th season of Elitserien. It began on September 15, 2008, with the regular season ending February 28, 2009. The playoffs of the 85th Swedish Championship ended on April 8, with Färjestads BK taking the championship...

, it seemed that the team would bring back all of their loaned players, including Weinhandl. However, it was announced on April 14 that Weinhandl would be staying with Dynamo Moscow in Russia for another season.

Dynamo Moscow

Weinhandl's first season in Russia was not quite as successful as he might have hoped — he suffered a knee injury late in the pre-season that caused him to miss the first fourteen games of the season. He finished the regular season with 16 goals and 17 assists in 41 games. Dynamo was a participant in the 2008 Spengler Cup
2008 Spengler Cup
The 2008 Spengler Cup was held in Davos, Switzerland between December 26, 2008 and December 31, 2008. All matches were played at host HC Davos's home Vaillant Arena...

 that took place in December 2008. Weinhandl, along with his teammate Dmitry Afanasenkov
Dmitry Afanasenkov
Dmitry Anatolyevich Afanasenkov is a Russian professional ice hockey player currently playing for Traktor Chelyabinsk of the Kontinental Hockey League .-Playing career:...

, led the tournament in scoring with seven points apiece and helped Dynamo win the tournament for the second time in their history.

Weinhandl elevated his game in the 2009 KHL playoffs, scoring 16 points in 12 games, and was among the statistical leaders in several offensive categories. In addition, he was named the league's best forward in the month of March, based on his play in the playoffs. The team made it to the semi-final round, where it was eliminated by the eventual Gagarin Cup
Gagarin Cup
The Gagarin Cup is the trophy presented to the winner of the Kontinental Hockey League playoffs, and is named after cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, the first human in space...

 winner Ak Bars Kazan.

Weinhandl returned to Dynamo Moscow for the 2009–10 season
2009–10 KHL season
The 2009–10 KHL season was the second season of the Kontinental Hockey League. It was held from 10 September 2009 to 27 April 2010, with a break for the Olympic winter games from 8 February to 3 March...

, scoring 60 points in 56 games. This placed him again among the statistical league leaders, most notably as the top scoring foreign (non-Russian) player. He was also named best forward for the month of October. Dynamo fared poorly in the playoffs that season and was eliminated in the first round.

SKA St. Petersburg

After the 2009-2010 season, Dynamo Moscow was disbanded and Weinhandl was instead contracted by SKA St Petersburg prior to 2010-2011 season. During this season he has been reunited with his old line-mate from Linköping, Tony Mårtensson, and former Islanders teammate Alexei Yashin
Alexei Yashin
Alexei Valeryevich Yashin is a Russian professional ice hockey player. He is currently a member of CSKA Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League...

. SKA took part in the 2010 Spengler Cup
2010 Spengler Cup
-Group Cattini:All times are local .-Knockout stage:Key: * – final in overtime. ** – final in shootout.-Quarterfinals:All times are local .-Semifinals:All times are local .-Final:All times are local ....

 tournament in Davos, Switzerland, in December 2010. Weinhandl helped his team beat Team Canada in the final to win the tournament for the fourth time in team history and the first time since 1977. It was also the third year in a row that a team from the KHL won the tournament.

International play

Weinhandl has played for Sweden's national team often in his career, including the 1999 IIHF World U20 Championship, and the IIHF World Championships in 2002, 2005, 2008, 2009, and 2010. Weinhandl was among the top scorers in both the 2008
2008 IIHF World Championship
The 2008 IIHF World Championship was played between May 2 and May 18, 2008 in the Canadian cities of Halifax and Quebec City . The two venues were the Halifax Metro Centre and the Colisée Pepsi...

 and 2009
2009 IIHF World Championship
The 2009 IIHF World Championship took place in Switzerland from 24 April to 10 May. The games were played in the PostFinance Arena in Bern and Schluefweg in Kloten....

 tournaments, ending up tied for third in total points each year. In 2009, he helped the Tre Kronor win bronze, their first medal since winning the gold in 2006.

On December 27, 2009, Weinhandl was named to the 2010 Swedish Olympic national team.

Career statistics

    Regular season   Playoffs
Season
Season (sports)
In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an...

Team League GP G
Goal (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to...

A
Assist (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal...

Pts
Point (ice hockey)
Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one...

PIM
Penalty (ice hockey)
A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,...

GP G A Pts PIM
1999–00 Modo Hockey
MODO Hockey
Modo Hockey is a professional ice hockey club in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden. The club plays in Sweden's premier ice hockey league, the Elitserien. They were founded in 1921 and have won two Elitserien championships; in 1979 and 2007. The team's home arena is the Fjällräven Center since 2006...

SEL
Elitserien
Elitserien, is a professional ice hockey league composed of twelve teams in Sweden...

32 15 9 24 6
2000–01 Modo Hockey SEL 48 16 16 32 14 6 1 3 4 6
2001–02 Modo Hockey SEL 50 18 16 34 10 14 4 11 15 4
2002–03
2002–03 AHL season
The 2002–03 AHL season was the 67th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-eight teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hamilton Bulldogs finished first overall in the regular season...

Bridgeport Sound Tigers
Bridgeport Sound Tigers
The Bridgeport Sound Tigers are an ice hockey team playing in the American Hockey League. It has been the AHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's New York Islanders, who also own the franchise, since its inception, and use the same team colors as the parent Islanders do. The team is based in...

AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...

23 9 12 21 14
2002–03 New York Islanders
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...

NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...

47 6 17 23 10
2003–04
2003–04 AHL season
The 2003–04 AHL season was the 68th season of the American Hockey League. The league introduces the Willie Marshall Award in honour the career points leader in the AHL, and awards it to the annual top goal scorer....

Bridgeport Sound Tigers AHL 10 3 6 9 10
2003–04 New York Islanders NHL 55 8 12 20 26 5 0 0 0 2
2004–05
2004–05 Elitserien season
The 2004–05 Elitserien season was the 30th season of Elitserien. It started on September 20, 2004, with the regular season ending March 1, 2005. The playoffs of the 81st Swedish Championship ended on April 11, with Frölunda HC taking the championship....

Modo Hockey SEL 50 26 20 46 18 6 0 0 0 4
2005–06 New York Islanders NHL 53 2 4 6 14
2005–06 Minnesota Wild
Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....

NHL 15 2 3 5 10
2006–07 Minnesota Wild NHL 12 1 1 2 10
2006–07
2006–07 AHL season
The 2006–07 AHL season was the 71st season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-seven teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hamilton Bulldogs won their first Calder Cup, defeating the defending champions, the Hershey Bears in the finals....

Houston Aeros
Houston Aeros
The Houston Aeros are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. The team plays in Houston, Texas, at the Toyota Center. They are the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Minnesota Wild.- History :...

AHL 48 18 27 45 20
2007–08
2007–08 Elitserien season
The 2007–08 Elitserien season was the 33rd season of Elitserien. It began on September 24, 2007, with the regular season ending March 8, 2008. The playoffs of the 84th Swedish Championship ended on April 18, with HV71 taking the championship.-Rule changes:...

Linköpings HC
Linköpings HC
Linköpings Hockey Club, often known by its acronym LHC or, colloquially among its fans, Cluben, is an ice hockey team from Linköping, Sweden....

SEL 54 35 27 62 69 16 7 10 17 8
2008–09
2008–09 KHL season
The 2008–09 KHL season was the inaugural season of the Kontinental Hockey League. It started on September 2, 2008, and finished on February 26, 2009...

HC Dynamo Moscow
HC Dynamo Moscow
HC Dynamo Moscow was a Russian professional ice hockey club based in Moscow. They were members of the Bobrov Division in the Kontinental Hockey League...

KHL 41 16 16 32 53 12 6 10 16 4
2009–10
2009–10 KHL season
The 2009–10 KHL season was the second season of the Kontinental Hockey League. It was held from 10 September 2009 to 27 April 2010, with a break for the Olympic winter games from 8 February to 3 March...

HC Dynamo Moscow KHL 56 26 34 60 36 4 1 0 1 2
2010–11
2010–11 KHL season
The 2010–11 KHL season is the third season of the Kontinental Hockey League. It was held from 8 September 2010 and ended on 16 April 2011.The season started with the Opening Cup game between the last season's finalists, Ak Bars Kazan and the new team that was created by merging last season's...

SKA St. Petersburg KHL 54 21 28 49 42 11 5 4 9 16
NHL totals 182 19 37 56 70 5 0 0 0 2
KHL totals 151 63 79 142 106 27 12 14 26 22

External links

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